What Happened to John Wayne Gacy? Is He Still Alive?

John Wayne Gacy, a notorious serial killer and sex offender, was charged with 33 murders that got him a death sentence. Starting from 1972 until his arrest in 1978, Gacy would lure young boys & assault them sexually before taking their lives.

Before conviction, he was a respected person in his neighborhood who hosted parties & fundraising as Pogo the Clown. After his conviction, he gained notoriety as the Killer Clown. So, what happened to him after his arrest?  Let’s dig in.

Key Takeaways

• John Wayne Gacy was a serial killer, who was convicted of 33 murders of young men.
• He wore the facemask of a sweetheart and a business role model until the exposure of his murderous truth.
• After 14 years on death row, he was transferred to the Stateville correction center on May 9, 1994, where he was executed a day later.
• His performances as a clown before his crimes got him the name of the ‘Killer Clown’.

What Happened to John Wayne Gacy?

Wayne Gacy deemed one of the most dangerous serial killers and a sex offender, was charged with 33 murders of young boys & men. After his arrest on December 21, 1978, the police investigation found all about his hideous crimes and the court found him guilty of several murders.

Although his lawyers tried to have Gacy plead not guilty by reason of insanity, the verdict didn’t get approval. On March 13, 1980, John got the death sentence.

Is John Wayne Gacy Still Alive?

No, John is no longer alive. After his death sentence, he remained on death row for 14 years at Menard Correctional Center. On May 10, 1994, Gacy was executed by lethal injection in Crest Hill, Illinois, and was pronounced dead at 12:58 a.m., at the age of 52.

Hours before his execution, around 1,000 people gathered outside the correctional center. A majority of them cheered on his death & even wrote a t-shirt with the slogan “No tears for the clown” referring to his work as a clown before his crimes. On the other hand, some were anti-death penalty protestors.

His Execution was Delated By 10 Minutes

Many claimed it was an “easy death” for such horrific crimes. As reported, his death was 10 minutes delayed after a glitch from the state prison official administering the drugs after they violated the basic law of chemistry.

Gacy’s Last Meal and Last Words

Before his execution, John was granted a picnic with his family and his last meal was served. He ordered a bucket of KFC, fried shrimp, french fries, fresh strawberries, and a diet Coke for his last meal.

According to Distractify, the officials asked if he had anything to say as they strapped him to the gurney & he reportedly said, “Kiss my a*s.”

Where Was He Buried?

John Wayne’s body was not buried but cremated. His ashes were later handed to his sister.

After the confirmation of his death, Helen Morrison, a forensic psychiatrist & a witness for the defense at Gacy’s trial took possession of his brain for studies.

Suspicion Of Wayne Gacy’s Crimes Came Only After His 33rd Murder

John started his sinister deed in 1972, his first victim being 16-year-old Timothy Jack McCoy. However, it wasn’t until 6 years later in 1978, that he would face an arrest. But by that time, he had already killed 33 young men.

The curtains on his crimes began to lift after police started their investigation on his 33rd victim Robert Piest, a 15-year-old boy who went missing on December 11, 1978 (later found dead).

After Piest’s mom filed her son’s missing complaint, police came to know that John was the last person the young guy came in contact with.

Furthermore, the authorities got insights into his past criminal conviction in 1968 on a sodomy charge for molesting Donald Voorhees Jr. It even resulted in his divorce from his first wife Marlynn Myers, with whom he had two children: Michael (b. March 1967) and a daughter Christine Gacy (b. January 1969).

Police Found John’s Link To Robert’s Disappearance

On December 13, 1978, the Des Plaines police obtained a search warrant against John. On the search, they found suspicious objects like a 6mm Brevettata starter pistol, a syringe, a hypodermic needle, and a Nisson Pharmacy photo receipt (where Robert worked) along with a nylon rope.

Moreover, the police got reports of Gregory Godzik’s disappearance and Charles Hattula’s dead body in an Illinois river. Both of them worked for Gacy’s company PDM Contractors.

On the basis of suspicion, police took him into custody & proceeded with the investigation that opened up the dark past of heinous murders.

Confession As A Serial Killer And Arrest

In a police interview, the former PDM Contractors employees David Cram (whom John tried to rape) and Michael Rossi stated that he possibly had killed Robert Piest and hid his body.

As reported, on December 20, 1978, when he visited his lawyer, Gacy was anxious and asked for a drink. While drinking, he confessed that he had killed Robert and “at least thirty” more victims, most of whom he buried in his crawl space and some in the Des Plaines River.

On December 21, when police obtained a search warrant, John Wayne denied burying Piest’s body in his crawl space. Instead, he confessed that he killed a guy in self-defense & buried his body in his garage.

It not only led to his arrest but also got him charges of murder. Out of his 33 victims, only 28 were identified whose bodies were found on his property and in the river.

Why Gacy Got The Name Of ‘Killer Clown’?

Before the truth of his crimes got out, John had an impression of a respected man. A member of a clown club named Jolly Joker, he performed at fundraising events as “Pogo the Clown”.

However, after his conviction for serial murders, he got the notoriety as the Killer Clown.